Canada
Visa Canada
Amériques · Amérique du Nord
In Canada, immigration falls under Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), whose pages appear on the official canada.ca portal. For a visit, the portal names the visitor visa (temporary resident visa), the electronic travel authorization (eTA), the transit visa, the super visa and the visitor record. A visitor visa application is filed online through the IRCC portal, with payment of the fees and, where applicable, collection of biometrics.
The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.
Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.
Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026
At a glance
- Authority
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Submission channel
- IRCC online account and portal ("IRCC Portal"), with biometrics after filing where applicable
- Electronic visa
- The portal names the electronic travel authorization (eTA), which is distinct from the visitor visa
- Portal language
- English and French (canada.ca); pages read in English
Do you need a visa?
Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.
Documented visa types
- Visitor visa (temporary resident visa)
- The portal describes it as "an official document that we stick in your passport". Length of stay not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)
- Electronic travel authorization (eTA)
- Named by the portal in the "Visit Canada" section, distinct from the visitor visa; conditions not consulted. Official page (new tab)
- Transit visa
- Named by the portal in the "Visit Canada" section; conditions not consulted. Official page (new tab)
- Super visa
- Named by the portal in the "Visit Canada" section; conditions not consulted. Official page (new tab)
- Visitor record
- Named by the portal in the "Visit Canada" section, in connection with extending the stay; conditions not consulted. Official page (new tab)
Where and how to apply
The "Immigration and citizenship" section of canada.ca, maintained by IRCC, brings together online accounts (including GCKey), fee payment, forms and application tracking.
For a visitor visa, the page "How to apply for a visitor visa" states that the application is filed online through the IRCC portal, in its current version or its new version, after payment of the fees. Biometrics are collected after filing where applicable.
Steps in the procedure
- Gather the documents needed for the application ("Gather the rest of the documents you might need").
- Pay the fees ("Pay your fees").
- Submit the application through the IRCC portal ("Submit your application").
- Give your biometrics after filing where applicable ("Give your biometrics after you apply (if applicable)").
Documents mentioned by the authority
- A digital copy of the valid (not expired) passport or travel document ("a digital copy of your valid (not expired) passport or travel document").
- A letter authorizing a minor child to travel to Canada, where applicable.
- The additional documents linked to the purpose of the visit, the page stating that they vary with that purpose.
- The personalized document list provided in the portal at the time of the online application, as announced by the page.
The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.
Stated fees and processing times
According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, processing of a visitor visa is stated at CAN$100 per person and CAN$500 for a family of five or more; biometrics are stated at CAN$85 per person and up to CAN$170 for a family. The visitor visa page mentions a price "Starting from: $CAN 100".
The portal states that the processing time varies by country and does not include the time needed to give biometrics; it refers to a tool for checking processing times.
After the decision
The portal publishes pages for checking application status and for consulting processing times. The "Visit Canada" page also names the visitor record in connection with extending the stay.
Avenues of appeal in the event of a refusal are not described on the pages read. The authority decides whether to grant or refuse.
Published procedures
No reviewed and published procedure for Canada to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.
Explore proceduresFrequently asked questions
Is a visa required for Canada?
It depends on nationality and on the purpose of travel; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.
Where is the application filed?
Online, through the IRCC portal, after payment of the fees; biometrics are collected after filing where applicable.
Is there an electronic visa?
The portal names the electronic travel authorization (eTA), which is distinct from the visitor visa. Its conditions were not consulted here.
How much does a visitor visa cost?
According to the page consulted on 2026-09-17, processing is stated at CAN$100 per person and CAN$500 for a family of five or more, to which the biometrics fee is added.
What is the processing time?
The portal states that the processing time varies by country and does not include the time needed to give biometrics; it refers to a tool for checking processing times.
Official sources
Consulted sources
Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.
- Immigration and citizenship - Canada.ca (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
- Visit Canada (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
- Visitor visa (temporary resident visa) (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
- How to apply for a visitor visa - Canada.ca (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
What this guide does not know yet
Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.
- The pages read were in English; the French equivalents on canada.ca must be checked and substituted before publication.
- The conditions of the electronic travel authorization (eTA), of the transit visa and of the super visa were not consulted: they are therefore not described here.
- The processing times page is cited as a link, but its content, which varies, was not recorded: no figure for a processing time is therefore reported.
- On the pages read, the portal does not describe avenues of appeal in the event of a refusal.
Prepare my case
This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.
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Describe your situation
Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.
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Check at the source
Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.
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Track what is left to do
Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.
The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.